Motor Vehicle Regulations

Motor Vehicle and Parking Regulations

The College's Motor Vehicle Regulations are enacted to increase safety on campus and to provide an orderly process for the operation of motor vehicles. It is the responsibility of all students, faculty and staff to register their vehicle and obey these regulations.

Every vehicle parked on the campuses of Bucks County Community College is required to display a valid parking permit. Vehicles on campus without a parking permit will be subject to ticketing. Permits must be applied for online at bucks.edu/parking . An optional temporary permit may be printed out, placed on the dashboard and is valid for up to 14 days. During that 14-day period, the student or employee should bring his/her vehicle registration and I.D. to the Office of Security and Safety located in Cottage 4. A permanent student or employee parking permit will be issued at that time.

COLLEGE MOTOR VEHICLE REGULATIONS ARE ENFORCED AT ALL TIMES ON ALL CAMPUSES OF BUCKS COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

Section I

Operation

All vehicles parked on campus require a parking permit and must be registered with the Office of Security and Safety.

BCCC parking permits are free and must be visible at all times.

You may register as many vehicles as needed, since permits may not be transferred from one vehicle to another.

Please adhere or hang parking permits behind the interior rear view mirror of the vehicle so they are visible through the front windshield.

Temporary parking permits must be obtained by students and employees who use a leased, rented or borrowed vehicle. Please obtain a temporary permit from the Office of Security and Safety before parking your vehicle.

Student parking is permitted in Lots A, B, C, D, and E. Parking in the Visitors Lot by either employees or students is prohibited at all times and will result in a fine.

Permits are valid for the two year period prior to the expiration date printed on the front of the permit.

Bicycles and mopeds may be parked in the racks provided throughout campus.

College staff and faculty must park in the specific areas designated for employees.

Student workers and part-time college employees carrying more than six (6) credits at Bucks County Community College are considered students for parking purposes; they must obtain student parking permits and park in student lots only.

Visitors should park in the Visitors area of Parking Lot B. (See Section III for detailed information.)

UNAUTHORIZED PARKING IN HANDICAPPED OR INFIRMARY SPACES WILL RESULT IN A FINE. (See Section III, Paragraph D.)

Violations The following are violations of the College's Motor Vehicle Code:

Parking without a valid permit or improper placement of permit.

Permit must be displayed on the back of the rear view mirror, inside the vehicle, and must be visible at all times.

Any alteration or transfer of a parking permit or handicapped permit renders it invalid.

Section II Sanctions and Fines

Monetary fines are itemized on all violations notices and are subject to change without notice.

There are additional charges for towing and/or immobilizing vehicles.

Unauthorized parking in handicapped/infirmary spaces - $100

Immobilization Boot - $100

Parking in Fire Lanes, reckless driving - $50

Parking without a valid Bucks County Community College permit and most other violations - $15

Parking with expired permit - $10

Parking with valid permit not properly displayed - $5

Payment All parking fines payments are due within 14 calendar days of the date of the violation. Payment can be made in any of the following ways:

In-person at the Student Accounts Office. The Student Accounts Office is located in The Hub at the Newtown Campus and is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Payments (check or money order) may also be mailed to: BCCC / Student Accounts Office / 275 Swamp Road / Newtown, PA 18940

Online through Web Advisor

UNPAID PARKING VIOLATION FINES

Unpaid parking fines are considered financial obligations to the College and will result in withholding of student records, grades, transcripts, registration, or other official records.

Employee fines not paid within 45 days will result in suspension of parking privileges. Once suspended, the vehicle is subject to immobilization or towing at the owner’s expense.

The College reserves the right to seek judgment in the Court of the District Justice against a student or employee who fails to satisfy any outstanding obligations levied according to these Motor Vehicle Regulations

Towing/Immobilization Policy

Towing The College reserves the right to remove any vehicle which is parked in a driveway, fire lane, loading dock, handicapped area, or parked in such a way as to constitute a hazard to vehicular and pedestrian traffic or to the movement or operation of emergency equipment. The owner will be responsible for the costs involved in removing, impounding and storing the offending vehicle. All fees must be paid before the vehicle will be released. The College is not responsible for damage to a vehicle resulting from towing or immobilization.

Any vehicle parked in violation of the motor vehicle regulations issued by Bucks County Community College may be immobilized by use of a wheel boot. Additionally, when a vehicle is determined to have three (3) or more parking violation notices charged against it, paid or unpaid, a boot may be used to immobilize the vehicle. The College will not authorize release of the vehicle to the owner or custodian until a payment of $100 is made to remove the boot and all outstanding fines have been satisfied. In addition, any vehicle subject to towing may be immobilized instead. Flagrant violations of these motor vehicle regulations may result in the loss of parking and vehicle operating privileges on campus. Notice of the placement of a wheel boot shall be posted prominently on the vehicle. Placement of the notice shall depend upon the type of vehicle. The College is not responsible for damage to a vehicle resulting from towing or immobilizing the vehicle. Only members of the Office of Security and Safety staff may remove wheel boots.

Vehicles left immobilized for longer than 36 hours may be moved to a storage facility. The owner/custodian of the vehicle shall be responsible for immobilization and removal fee as well as any storage fees.

Section III Procedures

Appeals of Violation Notices/Parking Privileges

Violation Notices may be appealed to a special Traffic Appeals Committee.

Appeals may be filed online at bucks.edu/parking within 14 calendar days of the date of the violation.

An employee whose parking privileges have been suspended, may appeal the suspension to the Traffic Appeals Committee. The employee must file an appeal with the Human Resources Department no later than five (5) working days after the notice of the suspension of parking privileges has been received.

Decisions made by the Traffic Appeals Committee are final.

VisitorsCollege departments expecting visitors should notify the Office of Security and Safety and secure visitor permits, which can be mailed to the visitor along with parking instructions.

Visitors to campus must park in the Visitors Area, adjacent to Student Lot B. If this area is full, visitors are requested to report to the Office of Security and Safety, located in Cottage 4, for issuance of a permit and instructions on where to park.

Visitors are subject to all Campus Motor Vehicle Regulations.

Special ParkingArrangements for all special, temporary and visitor parking permits are coordinated through the Office of Security and Safety. Issuance of a permit does not guarantee a parking space. Lack of space is not considered a valid excuse for violation of regulations.

Short-term (30 minute) parking spaces are located in front of the Cottages and may be used by anyone who requires 30 minutes or less to transact college business.

Temporary permits for “Loading and Unloading” are issued yearly to all college departments and budget area`s by the Office of Security and Safety. These permits may be used for a maximum of 30 minutes.

Parking In the areas outlined above will be timed and strictly enforced. Tickets will be issued to violators.

Handicapped Parking/Temporary Mobility Impairments

Permanent Mobility Impairments: Individuals with permanent mobility impairments must have an official Pennsylvania Bureau of Motor Vehicles handicapped license plate or placard on their vehicle in order to park in any of the designated handicapped spaces on campus. Students and employees must also possess valid campus parking permits.

Temporary Mobility Impairments: Parking arrangements are available to individuals with temporary mobility impairments. Applications for these “Infirmary”spaces are available from the Office of Security and Safety. This type of temporary permits is issued on a per semester basis.

All reserved infirmary spaces are clearly marked and posted.

Reserved infirmary parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Individuals with infirmary permits may not park in handicapped spaces.

If all reserved infirmary spaces on campus are full, drivers must park in a regular lot.

Disabled Vehicles All disabled vehicles should be reported to the Office of Security. A reasonable period of time will be granted for the removal of a disabled vehicle, but must be coordinated with the Office of Security and Safety.

Overnight Parking Parking on campus between the hours of 12:00 midnight and 5:00 a.m. is prohibited, except for those who have received prior approval from the Office of Security and Safety. Permission will be granted for disabled vehicles and vehicles belonging to people participating in college sponsored trips. In all cases, the owner/operator should contact the Office of Security and Safety.

Miscellaneous

Motorists are advised that all Pennsylvania laws and regulations pertaining to the use of motor vehicles apply to all drivers and vehicles on the campus of Bucks County Community College.

Any driver coming on campus to discharge or pick up passengers may do so in the area of Linden Lane designated for that purpose.

Parking near the baseball field is at your own risk.

The college is not responsible for the safety of vehicles or their contents.

Bucks County Community College Motor Vehicle Regulations are in effect at all times.

Wheelchair Lifts

Ramps

Handicap Parking Lot - ramp to center of campus and side entrance of Founders Hall

Hicks Art Center - main entrance

Cooper Homestead - main entrance

Penn Hall - right side entrance

Penn Hall - rear side entrance to lecture halls

Portable Classrooms - each entrance

Tyler Hall - front entrance and inside first floor

TDD - Telecommunication Devices for the Deaf

Charles E. Rollins Center - Disability Services

Evening Student Shuttle Service

The College operates a shuttle service Monday through Thursday nights between 6:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. Students are picked up in the parking lots and dropped off behind Penn Hall and Founders Hall. After class, students are picked up behind Penn and Founders Halls and dropped off near their vehicles.

Emergency Closing Information

When inclement weather or an emergency forces the cancellation or delayed start of classes, announcements will be made using the e2campus text message and email system, on the college website, and on local and Philadelphia television and radio stations. Snow or icy conditions may close the College or delay its opening.

TV and Radio Codes

760 - (Newtown) Code number for day classes, including Saturday and Sunday 2760 - (Newtown) Code number for evening classes. 759 - (Upper Bucks Campus) Code number for day classes, including Saturday and Sunday 2759 - (Upper Bucks Campus) Code number for evening classes.1366 - (Lower Bucks Campus) Code number for day classes, including Saturday and Sunday 2366 - (Lower Bucks Campus) Code number for evening classes.

Delayed Openings

It is important for everyone to remember the following information when a delayed opening is announced:

One (1) hour delay - all classes ending prior to 10:00 AM are cancelled. Classes starting prior to 10:00 AM, but ending after 10:00 AM, would be held from 10:00 AM until regular class ending time. To aid Physical Plant in clearing roads/sidewalks, the gates to campus will not be opened until 9:30 AM. Employees and students are not to arrive at the campus prior to 9:30 AM.

Two (2) hour delay - all classes ending prior to 11:00 AM are cancelled. Classes starting prior to 11:00 AM, but ending after 11:00 AM, would be held from 11:00 AM until regular class ending time. To aid Physical Plant in clearing roads/sidewalks, the gates to campus will not be opened until 10:30 AM. Employees and students are not to arrive at the campus prior to 10:30 AM.

NOTE: The College will not open for evening, Saturday or Sunday classes on a delayed basis.

Cancellation of Day or Evening Classes

Day Classes: Classes that start in the morning or afternoon, including classes that start at 5:00 p.m. at the latest.

Evening Classes: Classes that start at 6:00 p.m. or later.

Note:

When day classes are cancelled but evening classes are held:

if a class is scheduled to start before 6:00 p.m. and continue at least one hour after 6:00 p.m. (i.e. continue until 7:00 p.m. or later), it would be held. This class will begin at 6:00 p.m., instead of its regular starting time, and continue until its regular ending time.

If a class is scheduled to start before 6:00 p.m. and end before 7:00 p.m., it will not be held.

When day classes are held but evening classes are cancelled:

day classes that start at 5:00 p.m. or earlier will be held but will end at 6:00 p.m.